USM Sustainability Policy

USM provides participatory bodies through which local stakeholders can take part in university decision making. The Sustainability Policy provides three participatory bodies and mechanisms for stakeholder engagement. Section 7.4.4, Collaborative Programmes (p. 9), commits USM to hold collaborative discussion with stakeholders on sustainability issues and best practice through forums or conferences, and to work with stakeholders to develop and support programmes that promote the sustainability agenda. Section 8.1 (p. 10) establishes a University Sustainability Council (USC) to monitor, evaluate and strategise the transformation, with the University Sustainability Office as secretariat. Section 10.0 (p. 11) places all sustainability initiatives under the purview of the USC, which meets at least three times a year under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, and requires each Centre of Responsibility to organise sustainability programmes for students, staff and members of the public. The Constitution of Universiti Sains Malaysia also provides a participatory body at the highest level: the Board of Governors, the University’s highest governing body, includes one person to represent the community at the place where the University is located (Section 18(1)(d), p. 110), so that local stakeholders have a voice in university decision making.

USM has a lifelong learning access policy that ensures access to lifelong learning is open to all, regardless of gender, race, religion, social status or disability. Section 6.9 of the Sustainability Policy, Quality Education [SDG4] (pp. 6–7), states: It is the rights of everyone to get educated, irrespective of gender, race, religion, social status, or physical disabilities. It adds that access towards education should be widely open, so that no one is left behind due to accessibility issues, and commits USM to ensuring equitable access to lifelong learning opportunities for all members of society, including adult learners, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, refugees, indigenous communities, and economically disadvantaged groups, through flexible pathways such as micro-credentials, continuing education, online learning, and community-based training programmes.

USM has a policy to maximise water reuse across the university. USM's water reuse policy is set out in Section 6.1 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 3), which states: We should maximize water reuse across the university, reduce water consumption on campus and integrate sustainable water management practices throughout the campus by 2030. The same section promotes sustainable and integrated water resources management through water quantity and quality monitoring, water availability information sharing and the participation of local communities, and the Policy was last amended on 1 August 2025.

USM has a policy on preventing and reducing marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities. Section 6.5 of the Sustainability Policy, Life Below Water and Life on Land, states on p. 4: We shall also implement a marine pollution prevention policy aimed at reducing marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities. This includes proper wastewater and runoff management, minimizing plastic and chemical discharge into waterways. The same page links the health of marine ecosystems to the protection of water quality, habitat restoration and sustainable land use in coastal zones. The Policy also addresses plastics and single-use items (Section 6.7) and water management (Section 6.1), described elsewhere on this page.

USM has a policy on waste disposal to measure the amount of waste sent to landfill and recycled. Section 6.7 of the Sustainability Policy (pp. 5–6) provides the basis for USM's landfill policy, committing USM to precise and sustainable waste management operations and to the "waste to wealth" concept of transforming waste into valuable resources, with the aim of a low-carbon campus. Measurement is built into the Policy: the Sustainability Officer of each Centre of Responsibility plans strategies for the collection and preparation of sustainability data (Section 8.2.6, p. 10) and prepares an annual report of sustainability activities (Sections 8.2.7 and 11.0, pp. 10–11), which the University Sustainability Office monitors once a year (Section 9.0, p. 11).

USM has policies around use minimisation of plastic. Section 6.7 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 6) sets out USM's policy for minimisation of plastic use and states that the University can create a low-carbon campus by minimising the use of plastics and single-use plastic in the campus, that USM adopts Malaysia's Roadmap Towards Zero Single-use Plastics to minimise plastic use in the campus, and that USM addresses single-use plastics by encouraging cafe operators to use eco-friendly products. It also calls for awareness-raising among students, faculty and staff through educational programmes and campaigns, and for collaboration with local organisations and businesses on joint initiatives.

USM has a policy on reducing plastic waste on campus. USM's policy on plastic waste reduction on campus is set out in Section 6.7 of the Sustainability Policy (pp. 5–6), which states that USM adopts Malaysia's Roadmap Towards Zero Single-use Plastics to minimise plastic use on campus, addresses single-use plastics by encouraging cafe operators to use eco-friendly products, and should raise awareness of the environmental impact of plastic through educational programmes and campaigns. USM has an action plan in place to reduce plastic waste on campus: the USM Action Plan to Reduce Plastic Waste on Campus sets targets of at least 80% of the main campus designated plastic-free by 2026 and 100% across all campuses by 2030.

USM has a policy to ensure that food on campus that comes from aquatic ecosystems is sustainably harvested. USM's policies on food from aquatic ecosystems are set out in Section 6.5 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 4), which states: USM shall adopt a sustainable seafood procurement policy to ensure that all seafood and aquatic-based food served on campus are sourced from environmentally responsible and certified fisheries or agriculture operations. This policy also encompasses measures to sustainably manage fisheries activities to prevent overharvesting, preserve our rich biodiversity and reduce the vulnerability of environmentally sensitive areas. The same section states that USM should address aquaculture in controlled environments, covering site selection, environmental impact assessment, water quality, disease and feed management, and the use of antibiotics and chemicals, and that responsible aquaculture practices must minimise negative impacts on ecosystems, animal welfare and public health.

USM has policies to ensure that food on campus is sustainably farmed. USM's policies to ensure sustainably farmed food on campus begin with Section 6.4 of the Sustainability Policy, Zero Hunger and No Poverty (pp. 3–4), which states that the University promotes sustainable farming practices that minimise soil erosion, water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, including conservation programmes, organic farming support and agroecological approaches, and that staff and students should be encouraged to support the agricultural sector in food production, distribution and consumption. Section 7.3.1(c) (p. 9) adds the requirement to prioritise the purchase of products from sustainable sources, especially local vendors.

USM has a policy to ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems associated with the university, in particular forests and mountains. USM's policy on the sustainable use, conservation and restoration of land is set out in Section 6.5 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 5), which sets USM's priorities for all life on land: to document and assess the value of ecological goods and services, protect endangered species from extinction, sustainably manage human activities such as agriculture and urbanisation, and avoid land degradation. It adds: We are committed to ensure conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems associated with the university, particularly forests, mountains and wetlands, through an explicit policy that guides our efforts in these areas. Section 7.3.4(b) (p. 9) adds the Campus Development commitment to preserve heritage and biodiversity.

USM has a policy to identify, monitor and protect IUCN Red Listed species and national conservation list species with habitats in areas affected by the operation of the university. USM's policy on monitoring IUCN and other conservation species is set out in Section 6.5 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 5), which states: USM also commits to identify and monitor IUCN Red Listed species and national conservation list species within or nearby university-operated land areas, to ensure our operations do not disrupt their habitats. We will also support efforts to protect them. The section adds that regular diversity surveys, species recording and reporting by staff and students, and roost monitoring are practices that can be undertaken to protect, conserve and monitor IUCN Red Listed species.

USM has a policy to reduce the impact of alien species on campus. USM's policy on alien species impact reduction is set out in Section 6.5 of the Sustainability Policy (p. 5), which states: We are developing frameworks to assess the potential risks associated with introducing alien species, covering the likelihood of establishment, spread and ecological impact, and that measures are put in place to prevent the intentional or accidental introduction of invasive species, such as through regulations on trade, transportation, and importation. USM also needs to emphasise early detection and rapid response to new or emerging alien species, supported by surveillance systems, monitoring networks and protocols for reporting and assessing potential invasive species.